Woodshop Rules

All powered woodcutting and sanding tools must be run with dust collection or vacuum equipment connected to the appropriate ports and on at all times.

Smoke or sparks are bad signs in the woodshop. Stop what you are doing and correct the problem. Usually correct feed and depth of cut or getting a sharp bit / blade will help.

All wood must be processed according to our Materials Cutting Chart. Wood considered highly toxic, or containing lead paint or mold, is never to be machined in the space. Wood with nails, screws, staples, etc., must not be cut with the large power saws. You must read the full cutting chart for all details (also posted in the woodshop).

No metal cutting allowed on woodshop equipment.

No wet or damp items of any type (including containers, rags, limbs) may be placed or left on horizontal machine surfaces.

Clean your machines, your work space, and put all tools away when finished. Scrap wood should be placed in designated locations. Use vacuums or hand brushes to clean machinery.

Food and beverages allowed only on workbenches with ratty tops - never on any machine table.

Welding Shop Rules

NEVER weld without a proper face shield.

Closed shoes must be worn.

Long-sleeved, non-flammable shirt must be worn.

Wear proper welding gloves.

Never weld on or near anything that's been cleaned with a chlorinated hydrocarbon like brake-cleaner. Combined with UV light it can create phosgene gas. THIS CAN KILL YOU OR PEOPLE NEARBY or hurt you really badly. Ventilation will not prevent poisoning. Here's what can happen. (PDF version.)

Always wear ear protection (earplugs or muffs) if there's any chance at all a spark could bounce or fall into your ear canal. An eardrum punctured by a spark will instantly cauterize and never heal.

Fire

Make sure the weld area is free from all flammable materials such as flammable liquids, paper, etc. Do not wear clothing or gloves that have been exposed to flammable liquids.

Electrocution

Before turning on a weld machine, make sure there are no puddles of water on the floor around the weld bench or the machine. Make sure the weld machine is dry, including the main box, the torch, the pedal and the plug.

There is little risk of dangerous electrocution from a properly working TIG weld machine. When the user presses on the pedal to initiate the arc, a high-frequency low amplitude arc will emit from the tip of the weld torch. Once the machine detects the grounded metal piece that is to be welded, the arc will switch over to a high-amplitude DC current. Even if the operator deliberately points it toward their body, the shock will be mild, since the machine will not switch over to the high amplitude current.

Burns

Welded metal will remain hot for several minutes after it is welded. In most cases the heat is localized near the welds itself. In the case of more conductive materials such as copper and aluminum, the heat may more distributed throughout the piece.

In the case of TIG welding, sparks and spatter are non-existent, unless rusty or dirty metal is used. When MIG welding steel, there will be sparks, earplugs and full coverage safety glasses (as always) should be worn to prevent burns to sensitive tissues.

Gloves must be worn when welding and handling recently welded material. White cotton welding gloves may be used for light TIG welding, as long as they are free from holes. For heavier welding, deerskin or heavy duty welding gloves should be used.

Closed shoes are a must: no sandals.

UV Burns

The light emitted from a weld arc is much brighter than that of the sun, since it is much closer. Do not look at the arc without wearing a full-faced welding mask, with a shade 10 or darker filter plate. Always make sure the weld curtains are in place between the welders and other people in the shop. Also be sure to cover any exposed skin while welding or observing inside the weld area, including cuffs and collar areas. The rays from the arc can cause a UV burn much worse than a sunburn. Observers may use a cardboard mask with a shade 10 filter plate.

Compressed Gas Tanks

Argon and CO2 are gasses normally found in atmosphere and aren't inherently dangerous, however, if left on in an enclosed area could potentially cause suffocation by fully displacing the breathable air. The larger potential danger is the change of the top getting knocked off the tank, causing it to become a rocket powerful enough to cause severe damage to people, equipment, and ever possibly the building itself.

The following guidelines must be followed at all times.

Storing

Tanks must always remain upright, NEVER stored horizontally

Tanks mut be secured -- connected to an immovable object and prevented from falling over with a non-combustible material (metal).